The University of Mary Washington presented its top honors during commencement ceremonies Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11. Courtney A. Lynn of Virginia Beach received the Colgate W. Darden Jr. Award, which is presented to the student with the highest grade-point average (GPA) in the four-year undergraduate program. She finished with a 3.99 GPA. Joella Killian, professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, was presented the Grellet C. Simpson Award, the institution’s most prestigious annual award for excellence in undergraduate teaching. The recipient is routinely a senior member of the faculty. Melanie D. Szulczewski, assistant professor of environmental science in the College of Arts and Sciences, received the UMW Alumni Association Outstanding Young Faculty Member Award, which is presented annually to an exceptional member of the faculty who has served the institution for at least two years but no more than five years. Daniel J. Hubbard, associate professor in the Department of Accounting and Management Information Systems in the College of Business, received the Mary W. Pinschmidt Award. The winner is selected by the graduating class as the faculty member “whom they will most likely remember as the one who had the greatest impact on their lives.”

Louis A. Martinette, associate professor in the Department of Management and Marketing in the College of Business, was recognized with the Graduate Faculty Award. The honor recognizes an exceptional full-time faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in graduate teaching and professional leadership in a graduate program. The person selected must have served in a full-time position at the university for at least two years.

Courtney Lynn

Lynn is a psychology major who received a Bachelor of Science degree. A statistics tutor for two years, the Department of Psychology named her as the department’s outstanding senior. She has served as co-president of UMW’s chapter of Psi Chi, the international psychology society. Lynn has been named to the President’s List for six semesters and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Mortar Board national honor societies that recognize students for scholarship, leadership and service. Her research on children’s stress culminated in an honors thesis titled, “The Effect of Physical Activity on the Heart Rate Recovery of Children Under Stress.”  This fall, she will enter the Ph.D. program in School Psychology at the University of South Florida.

Joella Killian

Killian has taught at UMW for 29 years, joining the faculty in 1984. Students admire her for the thoughtful and tireless ways she approaches teaching. They view Killian as a role model and mentor. “They freely share their academic and personal challenges with her and actively seek her advice and support,” Interim Provost Ian Newbould said.  “The many long-lasting relationships she maintains with her former students serve as testimony to the positive impact she has had on them.” Killian earned a doctorate in entomology from North Carolina State University and a master’s degree in biology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She received a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A member of the Entomological Society of America and the scientific research society Sigma Xi, she is an expert in tree fruit entomology.

Melanie Szulczewski

A member of the faculty for the past five years, Szulczewski is recognized for her interactive ways of engaging students and her innovative teaching methods. “She works at helping students understand the complex scientific phenomena involved in the subjects she teaches,” Newbould said.  “Students praise her as energetic, passionate and enthusiastic.” Szulczewski spearheaded groundbreaking programs for the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, including a global inquiry course, the department’s first fully online course; its first field study course to be offered outside of Virginia and its first international course. She also initiated the development of the interdisciplinary environmental sustainability minor, a pioneering program that brings together courses from eight different departments.  In just two years, the minor has more than 35 students from 16 different majors. Szulczewski earned both a doctorate and a master’s degree in soil science from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and French literature from Cornell University.  An authoritative source on environmental issues, climate change and solar cooking, Szulczewski has presented her research at conferences such as the American Chemical Society, the Soil Science Society of America and the International Solid Waste Technology and Management Conference.

Louis Martinette

A member of the UMW faculty since 2004, Martinette is an exemplary teacher who is well-respected by his students and colleagues, according to Newbould.  Martinette earned a doctorate in business administration from Nova Southeastern University, a master’s degree from Golden Gate University, and a bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University. Before coming to UMW, he had an extensive career in the private sector. Martinette founded and served as president for 12 years of a marketing and consulting company that developed strategic business plans for major corporations, including Chesapeake Forest Products Company and Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates. He also served as vice president of marketing of MicroMagnetic, a major distributor of computer supplies and accessories, and worked as a marketing manager for the 3M Company. His business experience provided him practical insights that he imparts to his students, Newbould said. Under his guidance, his MBA students helped a business leader develop a strategic plan for the next stage of his firm’s growth.       “Students saw firsthand how the task of developing a marketing strategy requires keen awareness of numerous market factors and sound, critical thinking,” Newbould said. Martinette has received professional awards, including the Silver Patrick Henry Medallion for Patriotic Achievement from the Military Order of the World Wars, an Outstanding Service Award from Averett University and the Associate Service Award from the Home Builders Association of Richmond. He is on the editorial board of the International Journal of Global Management Studies, and he is a member of Alpha Kappa Psi professional business fraternity and the American Marketing Association.

Daniel Hubbard

Hubbard is a registered certified public accountant who received a doctorate in accounting from Virginia Tech. He earned an A.B. from Georgia State University, a master’s from Middlebury College and a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Institute of Technology. Student Government Association Treasurer Amanda Buckner, who presented the award, described Hubbard as a role model and guiding light to students.  “His door is always open and a warm smile is always waiting,” Buckner said.  “One student said ‘he has helped me immensely through college and the hardships I endured. Without his help I would not have been able to do the things I did in college.’” His popularity also is apparent by his inclusion in the Princeton Review’s 2012 list of “Best 300 Professors.” The publication, which featured seven UMW professors, recognized 300 challenging and inspiring teaching faculty from 122 public and private colleges.